Cover-removing device for furnaces



A. L. PALMER.

COVER REMOVING DEVICE FOR FURNACES. 7

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24, 1919.

Patented Sept; 13, 1921.

ATTORNEYS barren STATES FATENT QFFlCE-f ALVA n PALMER, or JAMAICA, NEW YORK.

COVER-REMOVING DEVICE FOR FURNACES.

To all whom it may concern! Be it known that I, ALVA citizen of the United States, residing at Jamaica, (L. I.,) in thecounty of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain and useful Improvements in Cover-Removing Devices for Furnaces, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. This invention relates to a crucible furnace or the like, and contemplates an improved form of mechanism for removing the top or cover of the furnace whenever desired. I V 7 According to one feature of the invention, the cover is pivotally connectedto a supporting rod or carrier which ismounted for free rotation in a holder applied to the furnace, the arrangementbeing such that inremoving thecover, it is first swung upwardly to a verticalposition on thesupportingrod or carrier and the latter then rotated in the holder tolocate the inner heated face of the cover away'from'the operator.

According to another feature, the holder is so constructed and arranged as to be adjustable around the furnace to locate the supporting rod or carrier in any desired position about its circumferenceor perimeter. According to "still another feature, the holder is adj ustable vertically on the furnace so as to raise or lower the supporting rod or carrier for one reason or another.

' According to further features of the invention, the holder is constructed in the form of an attachment which may be readily a plied to or removed from the furnace as a w ole; which may be expanded or contracted at will to accommodate furnaces of different sizes; and which may be mounted and sustained on the furnace without drilling, riveting, welding or any other form of permanent fastening. v

In addition the invention aims to provide a mechanism which, while capable of carrying out the above features, may be made and applied to the furnaces at little expense and which at the same time will be strong and durable and easily manipulated.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a furnace equipped with the improved mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a similarview showing the'fur nace cover removed from closed'or operative position;

L. PALMER, a

I Specification of-Iietters Patent. Patented Se t. 13 1921; Application filed October 24,1919. Serial No. 332,959. l

. Fig. 3 a top plan view taken on the line 33 of Flg. 1. I i

The improvements are'herein illustrated in connection wlth -the cylindrical crucible furnace 1 of the well known type, although 'they'are equally applicable to-other kinds of furnaces or to furnaces of other shapes. As usual, the furnace is formed near its bottom with the opening or conduit Qleading tangentially into the combustion chamber and through which the flame from the burner 3 is forced underth'e action of thefan or blower 4. The furnace is closed at the top by vthe circular fire brick cover 5 formed w1ththe central opening'6 through which the. roducts of combustion escape.

It is well known that in the use of such furnace, the-cover cannot be easily manipu lated, not only by'reason of its weight but because ,it becomes intensely heated. The present invention is therefore designed to provlde an improved form of mechanism whereby the cover may beremoved mechanically from the furnace and located with its inner heated faceaw'ay from the operator. Such mechanism will first be described in detail and the more important. features later polnted out, it being understood that other forms 'ofme'chanism might readily beem-v ployed to carry out certain features of "the invention. As beforestated, the improved band Swhich is pivotally connected to they 7 supporting rod by; means of abolt 9 passing through a lug10 thereon and joining the adj acent-ends 'of two of the band segments.

At the other points, the segments areconnected togetherby clamping bolts 11, which draw them, together to tighten the .band firmly about the cover. As'aresult of this construction, the cover may be swung upwardlyfand downwardly on the supporting rod 7 turning about the bolt 9 as a pivot. To facilitate this. pivotalmovement ofthe cover,-the band 8 is formed withshackles or eye-pieces 12adapted to receive a crowbar in the hands of a workman or books attached to 1 some mechanical lifting means. [In order to hold the'cover its raised-or vertical pos tionflhe "s pp t ng rod"? is provided a about the furnace and whose segments are connected together by clamping bolts 16. which. draw the bands tightly about the furnace and with suflicient pressure to enable them by their frictional engagement therewith to support the weight of the parts. The upper band is provided with a plain bearing sleeve or ring 17 through which the.

supporting rod 7 loosely passes; while the lower band is provided with a thrust bearing or socket member 18 upon which the lower end of the supporting rod rests, it being noted that the rod is reduced at its lower end and passes through a corresponding opening in the socket member. In this Way, the free rotation without endwis-e movement of the supporting rod in the holder is provided for, although any other suitable form of bearings may be employed for the purpose.

It will now be clear as to how the va riou s features before mentioned are realized.

In removing the furnace cover, it is first swung upwardly about the pivot 9 and locked in its raised or vertical position by the latch 13, and then the supporting rod 7 is rotated in the bearings 17 and 18 of the holder to locate the cover in any desired position, it being remembered that these bearings are such as to permit a free rotation of the supporting rod without endwise movement either to the left or right and throughout an angle of 360 degrees. This arrangement is therefore to be distinguished from a construction wherein the cover is first raised facewise in a horizontal position and then turned in its own plane to one side of the furnace, the essential idea in the present instance being to effect the removal of the cover first by swinging it upwardly and then turning it laterally to one side. Such a construction permits the closer arrange ment of a series of furnaces than would otherwise be possible, not to mention other advantages arising therefrom.

The adjustment of the holder to alter the position of the supporting rod or carrier about the furnace is effected by shifting the bands 15 around the furnace until the sup porting rod is located in the desired posi tion, it being necessary merely to loosen and retighten the clamping bolts 16 before and after such shifting of the bands. This feature is very advantageous in that it allows the supporting rod to be set in any position with reference to the burner opening 2 which in practice is often required to face in various directions to accommodate the burner and fan attachment. To meet such a condition it has been a common practice to cut an additional opening in the furnace and to plug up the original opening. This objectionable procedure is obviated under the present arrangement, which allows the supporting rod to be adjusted toward or from theburner opening as required. Similarly, when it is desired for any reason to raise or lower the supporting rod to locate the cover band 8 nearer to or farther from the furnace, this may be done by loosening the clamping bolts 16 and slipping the holder bands 15 up or down on the furnace and then retightening the bolts to confine the bands in the new position. In this way,

for instance, any variation in the size or thickness of the cover may be provided for or any wear thereon taken up, although in the present embodiment some slight adjustment of the cover is allowed by reason of the use of the segmental band8 which will permit the cover to-be raised or lowered within it.

The application of the parts to and their removal from the furnace is made possible by the employment of the segmental bands 8 and 15, the latter providing for the mounting of the supporting rod or carrier on the furnace, and the former for the connection of the supporting rod to the furnace cover. In other words, the parts are constructed in the form of an attachment which may be applied to any furnace or shifted from one to another at will. In fact, the attachment may be employed to convert a furnace of one kind into one of a different variety. Thus,it is common practice toconvert a furnace designed for the use of coal or coke into one for the use of gas or oil, this conversion being brought about by removing the light cover employed when coal or coke is used and substituting therefor a heavy fircbrick cover necessary in the use of gas or oil. The present attachment is peculiarly adapted for such purpose, as the holder may be easily applied to the coal furnace and the supporting rodor carrier then connected by means of the band 8 to the heavy firebrick cover.

In addition to the feature last: mentioned, the attachment is capable of being applied to furnaces of different sizes or diameter, this being permitted of course by the use of the split or segmental holder bands 15 which may be expanded or contracted by the loosening or tightening of the clamping bolts 16, as may be required. Likewise, the pivoted band 8 of the supporting rod or carrier may be fitted to covers of different diameter, although these latter do not vary to the same extent as the furnace bodies.

It is further pointed out that the holder bands 15 (which are made of steel) furnish additional reinforcement for the firebrick 1'30 wall of the furnace, and might allow the usual sheet metal casing to be made thinner, if that were desired.

While designed primarily to carry out the various features outlined, it, may be noted that the improved mechanism is extremely simple and comprises but few parts which can be made cheaply and easily fitted together without requiring any extensive machining or drilling operations such as characterize prior constructions and without involving any alteration whatever in the existing parts, which may therefore be manufactured in the usual way. These and yarious other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In its broader aspects, the invention is not limited tothe precise construction shown and described, as many changes may be made in the details thereof without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing its chief advantages. Generally speaking, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific form of arrangement, excepting in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. The combination with a furnace having a removable cover, of a rotatable supporting rod to which the cover is pivotally connected, and a holder attached to the furnace and wherein thesupporting rod or carrier is freely rotatable without endwise movement; whereby in removing the cover,

it is first swung upwardly on the supporting 'rod or carrier and the latter then rotated" in the holder to locate the cover in any desired position.

2. The combination with a furnace having a removable cover, of a rotatable supporting rod or carrierto which the cover is pivotally connected and provided at the top with automatic locking means to engage and hold the cover in its raised position, and a holder attached to the furnace and wherein the supporting rod or carrier is freely rotatable without endwise movement.

3. The combination with a furnace having a removable cover, of a rotatable supporting rod or carrier to which the cover is pivotally connected, and a holder wherein the supporting rod or carrier is rotatably mounted without endwise movement; whereby in removing the cover, it is first swung upwardly on the supporting rod or carrier and the latter then rotated in the holder to locate the cover in any desired position.

4. The combination with a furnace having a removable cover, of a rotatable supporting rod or carrier to which the cover is pivotally connected, and a holder wherein said. supporting rod or carrier is journaled, the said holder being attached to the furnace ative positions about the circumference or perimeter of the furnace, forthe purpose described. f

5. The combination with a furnace having a removable cover, of a rotatable supporting and adjustable therearound' to locate the supporting rod or carrier in different operrod or carrier to which the cover is pivotally connected, and'a holder wherein said supporting rod or carrier is journaled, the said holder being attached tothe furnace and adjustable vertically thereon to raise or lower'the supporting rod or carrier, for

the purpose described. I

6. The comb'nation with a furnace having a removable cover, of a rotatable'supp o-rting rod or carrier to which the cover is pivotally connected, and a holder wherein said sup-porting rod or carrier is journaled, the said holder being frictionally attached to the furnace so as to be removable therefrom freely and at will. 7. The comb'nation with a furnace having a removable cover, ofa rotatableSupporting rod or carrier to which the cover is pivotallyrconnected, and a holder wherein said supporting rod or carrier is journaled, the said holder being in the form of segmental hoops or bands fitted about the furnace and having their segments connected together by clamping devices which draw the bands tightly about the furnace with sufiicient pressure to enable them to sustain the weight of the parts.

8. The combination with a furnace having a removable cover, of a movable carrier to which the cover is connected, and a holder wherein said carrier is movably mounted and adjustable around the furnace to locate the carrier in different positions about the circumference or perimeter of the furnace.

9. The combination with a furnace having a removable cover, of a movable carrier to which the cover is connected, and a holder wherein the carrier is movably mounted, the said holder being attached to the furnace and adjustable around the same to locate the carrier in different operative positions about the circumference or perimeter of the furnace.

10. The combination with a furnace having a removable cover, of a movable carrier to which the-cover is connected, and a holder wherein the carrier is movably mounted, the said holder being frictionally attached to the furnace so as to be removable therefrom freely and at will.

11. An attachment for furnaces com- "prising a movable carrier provided with 7 ing a movable carrier provided with means by which the cover of a furnace may be connected thereto, and a holder wherein the carrier is movably mounted, the said holder being in the form of segmental hoops or bands adapted to be fitted about the furnace and having their segments connected together by clamping devices which draw them together to tighten the bands about the furnace when attached thereto.

13. An attachment for furnaces comprising a movable carrier provided with means by which the cover of a furnace may be connected thereto, and a holder wherein the carrier is movably mounted, the said holder being in the form of hoops or bands adapted to be fitted about the furnace and formed in relatively adjust-able segments or sections which may be expanded or contracted at will to correspond to the size of the furnace to which the holder is applied.

14:. An attachment for furnaces comprising a vertical supporting rod provided with a pivoted hoop or band adapted to be fitted about the cover of a furnace, and a holder. in the form of hoops or bands adapted to be fitted about the furnace and provided with bearings wherein the supporting rod is rotatably mounted.

15. An attachment for furnaces comprising a vertical supporting rod provided with a pivoted hoop or band adapted to be fitted about the cover of a. furnace, and a holder in the form ofhoops or bands adapted to be fitted about the furnace and provided with bearings wherein the supporting rod is rotatably mounted, both the cover band and the furnace bands being formed in sections or segments connected together by clamping bolts, for the purpose described.

'16. An attachment for furnaces comprising a vertical supporting rod provided withv a pivoted hoop or band adapted to be fitted about the cover of a furnace, and a holder having means by which it may be applied to the furnace and formed with bearings wherein the supporting rod is rotatably mounted, the said supporting rod being provided near the top thereof with an automatic detent arranged to engage a part of the cover band when the latter is swung upwardly on its pivot.

17. An attachment for furnaces comprising the vertical rod 7 provided with the pivoted band 8 and the detent 13, and the holder bands 15 provided with the bearings 17 and 18 respectively, all in the manner and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature hereto.

ALVA L. PALMER. 

